Lock buckle



April 18, 1939- J. H. wooDslDE 2,155,159

LOCK BUCKLE Filed NOV. 22, 1957 INVENTOR ATTORN EY Patented Apr. 18, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

My invention relates to buckles and more particularly to that class of buckles wherein a locking means is emp-loyed to lock the tongue.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide a buckle equipped with means for locking the tongue element in closed position, which is simple in construction, easy in operation, and economical in manufacture.

Another object of my invention is to provide l f a locking means for buckles especially adapted for use on belts and the like worn by inmates of institutions, such as insane asylums and hospitals, and which is constructed in a manner to prevent the inmates from picking the same.

if: Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, appended claim, and annexed drawing.

Referring to the drawing wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View taken on a line 2--2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on a line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on a line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken on a line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view on a line 6 6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is an elevation of the cylinders shown in the position illustrated in Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a similar view to that illustrated in Fig. 3, showing the cylinders in unlocked position.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on a line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2, the

parts being shown in unlocked position.

Figures l1 and l2 are perspective views of the cylinders.

Fig. i3 is a detail perspective View of one of the cylinders.

My invention comprises, in the preferred embodiment illustrated in the annexed drawing, a belt buckle 28 consisting of a frame having a centrally disposed cross member 2l to which is pivoted a tongue 22 for engagement with a locking mechanism 23 secured to one end of the frame.

The locking mechanism comprises a casing 24 having positioned therein inner and outer cylinders 23 and 21 respectively. Said casing is provided with a tongue receiving slot 24a for receiving therein the end 22a of the tongue 22.

The cylinders have formed therein registering key-slots 28 for the reception of an operating key 29. The outer cylinder is provided with a circumferential shoulder 30 adapted to t within a circumferential groove formed in the outer face 5 of the casing 24. The periphery of the outer cylinder has formed therein a circumferentially arranged arcuate slot 3| adapted to receive the end of a screw 32 threaded in the casing 24. The screw 32 limits the rotation of the outer cylinder lo in relation of the casing and valso serves to prevent lateral movement thereof. Secured to the outer cylinder 21 are a pair of inwardly projecting spaced pins 33 adapted to telescope within correspondingly aligned apertures 34 formed in 15 the face 25 of the inner cylinder 26.

The periphery of the inner cylinder 26 is formed with a longitudinally extending channel 36 and receives therein the end 22a of the tongue 22. Intermediate of the ends of said channel and 20 communicating therewith, there is formed a circumferentially arranged arcuate groove 31, as clearly illustrated in Fig. l1 of the drawing. A stop pin 38, secured to the casing 24, operates within the groove 31 to limit the lateral move- 25 ment of the cylinder 26.

'Ihe cylinder 26 is adapted to be rotated, in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 11 by the action of the cylinder 28 through the medium of the connecting pins 33, causing the channel 36 30 to align with the pin 38, thus permitting lateral movement of the cylinder 26. A suitable coil spring 39 is located within the casing 24, intermediate of the closed end of the casing and the cylinder 26. When the cylinders are rotated in 35 the direction indicated by the arrows in the several views, the pin 38 will register with the channel 36 and the spring 39 will move the cylinder 26 towards the cylinder 21. In this position, as shown in Fig. 2, the end 22a of the tongue is 40 locked in the channel 36 and the pin 38 is positioned in the channel 36 adjacent the end of the tongue and out of alignment with the groove 31. The end of the tongue, which is secured between the side walls of the channel, cannot be raised 45 and is therefore held in a locked condition.

In order to unlock the tongue, so that a belt or the like may be disengaged from the buckle 22, the key 29 is inserted in the key slot 28, the inner end of the key abutting the inner face of the key slot carried by the cylinder 26. Pressure applied to the key urges the inner and outer cylinders together against the action of the coil spring 39 and towards the closed end of the casing 24 a sui'licient distance to align the pin 38 with the 55 circumferential groove 31. Turning the key, in a reverse direction indicated by the arrows in the several Views, rotates the connected cylinders and at the same time permits entry of the pin 38 into the groove 31 to prevent lateral movement of the cylinder 26. Continued rotation of the cylinder 26 moves the end of the tongue to a position where it can be manually disengaged from within the channel 36 to an unlocked or opened position. The pin 38, abutting the end face of the groove 31, limits the rotation of the cylinder 26. The end of the tongue is passed through the elongated slot 24a formed in the casing. Distortion or twisting of the pins 33 is prevented by means of the set screw 32 engaging the end face of the arcuate slot 3l formed in the outer cylinder 21.

The tongue may be readily relocked by repositioning the same in the channel, as shown in Fig. 10, and exerting suicient pressure thereon to rotate the cylinders in the direction indicated by the arrows, the parts operating in the same manner as heretofore described.

My locking mechanism is especially adapted for locking the tongues on buckles attached to belts worn by inmates of asylums, hospitals and the like. The relatively stii coil spring 39 being operatable thru the medium of a relatively stii member or key, prevents an inmate from picking the same because such an inmate is not usually in possession oi a member of suficient stiffness to actuate said spring.

It is to be distinctly understood, that various changes and modifications in the construction and arrangement of the parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the appended claim.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

A device of the character described, comprising, a frame equipped with a casing and a pivotable tongue, said casing having open and closed ends and formed with a tongue receiving slot between said ends, an outer cylinder rotatably mounted in said open end of said casing, an inner cylinder mounted in said casing, a spring in said casing between said closed end of the latter and said inner cylinder for normally urging the latter towards said outer cylinder, said outer cylinder having a pair of inwardly extending pins slidable within said inner cylinder whereby to effect rotation of said cylinders in unison, said inner cylinder formed with a longitudinally extending tongue receiving channel and a transversely extending groove communicating with said channel and said tongue receiving slot, a` pin carried by said casing and extending in said channel for locking said inner cylinder against rotation to maintain said tongue locked in said channel, said inner cylinder operable away from said outer cylinder for positioning said last mentioned pin in registry with said groove whereby said tongue is moved to a released position for disengagement from within said slot upon rotation of said cylinders.

JOI-IN HA WOODSIDE. 

